AFTER delivering a rousing speech to the European Ryder Cup team, Sir Alex Ferguson arrived at Gleneagles yesterday to see if his inspirational words had taken effect.

And the Manchester United legend was not disappointed, as a spirited performance from Paul McGinley’s men ensured they entered the final day ahead of the USA by 10-6.

Luckily for Team Europe, they gave Ferguson no reason to resort to his infamous “hairdryer treatment”, which notoriously used to see him berate players in the dressing room.

Sporting the tournament’s official blue waterproof jacket, the 72-year-old, who gave the players a motivational pep talk days earlier, grinned as he watched the action unfold.

Not to be outdone, the USA was supported by the world’s greatest basketball player Michael Jordan, who puffed away on cigars.

Royal watchers might have spotted Prince Albert of Monaco. And Formula 1 legend Eddie Jordan was another famous face in the 45,000-strong crowd.

The European team wore white tops and blue trousers, while the Americans gave a nod to Scotland by wearing the Black Watch tartan with their navy sweaters.

But for spectators, fancy dress was again the order of the day. Wacky fans wore themed morphsuits – some adorned with European colours and others with stars and stripes – while a group of Americans decked themselves out in the colours of their beloved Minnesota Vikings football team.

Donning Harris Tweed, droopy moustaches and pipes, five spectators paid tribute to Old Tom Morris, the St Andrews-born legend celebrated as a pioneer of professional golf.

However, not everyone was having fun. World No 1 Rory McIlroy lost a ball in thick gorse, while a spooked deer sprinted away after wandering into the heat of the action.

Off the course, caterers served up the best of Scottish produce. Event caterer Mecco will have sold more than 260,000 meals by tonight. Some 480lbs of smoked salmon, 20,000 beef burgers and 1,500lbs of strawberries will have been washed down with 2,400 bottles of Johnny Walker, 1,200 kegs of Guinness, and 24,000 bottles of Mouton Cadet wine.

More than 12,000 bottles of Moet & Chandon champagne will also be sunk. Let’s hope it will be Team Europe popping corks...